Chaos ensued on Friday after a large part of Gatwick Airport's South Terminal was evacuated after a "security incident", leaving thousands of flyers stranded on the streets and carparks. Authorities confirmed that the area was cordoned off after a suspected prohibited item was found in luggage.

"Safety and security of our passengers and staff remains our top priority. We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible," the airline said in a post on X.

Visuals taken from outside the airport showed flyers moving away from the building. Videos also showed hundreds of people gathered outside the airport as they waited for operations to resume.

Hundreds of flights scheduled to land or take off were delayed due to the incident, with authorities confirming that flyers would be restricted from entering the terminal till the issue was resolved.

Emergency foil blankets were distributed to some of the passengers to help shield themselves from the cold, Reuters reported.

According to reports, bus services to the airport have been affected. Railway services are also not stopping at Gatwick Airport station until further notice.

This comes after the UK Police carried out a controlled explosion outside the US Embassy in London after a suspicious package was found outside it on the same day.

"We can confirm that the 'loud bang' reported in the area a short time ago was a controlled explosion carried out by officers," the Metropolitan Police later said.

Source: India Today